An Non-Release Update from a Fool

Yes, there will be an update on things soon. The page literally just came back online a few hours ago. My Friday nights are generally pretty busy, so if I'm able, I'll make the post tonight, otherwise, there will be one this weekend.

YummyTiger Gaming

great you are back. I see they did not object to Bogwart.

OhioOkie

Ok since this patreon is back now, any new updates?

Ericridge

Thanks, it actually IS progressing. I'm back! Let's get this thing started.

YummyTiger Gaming

Thanks for the update, glad to see that the game is progressing.

Nick A.

I think for everybody's sake, yours included, don't make a post unless it includes a completed download with ample playtime

Porksword

Hello everyone, I will be making a full post, but for the few diehards out there, I have been going full bore on the game for about 2 weeks now. I didn't stop working back in April, but I definitely cut way back and took care of a variety of other issues. I'm not sure I really want to delve into them in a full post, but the short version is I set things up so that I should have a solid work schedule (more consistent daycare, less distractions, etc.). It doesn't mean much if I don't use it, but I told you in April that if I revved this Patreon back up, I would do so with the intention of doing it right. I'm not going to throw worthless promises your way, I'm just going to say that I am working daily and I have every intention of seeing this project move forward. Thank you.

YummyTiger Gaming

Yeah it would be nice to get a status update. You said you were making Patreon changes 2 weeks ago and unless I'm mistaken I'm still not seeing anything. Not looking good tbh.

Dumai12

you gen. You give us a status.

OhioOkie

Alright, operation "Phoenix Rising" begins today. As I mentioned above, going to make some changes throughout Patreon with the goal being to actually deliver on everything promised. I will be removing some rewards, which I'll explain. They will probably come back at some point, but I need to focus on delivering what is promised, then, when I can do that, add more perks/rewards, prove I can handle them, then add more. There will also be some much needed transparency throughout.

YummyTiger Gaming

i'm patient, i'll wait however long you need.

james steele

Really, most of us would just like the game go two more days with one or two battles and intrigue of corrupting the MC.

OhioOkie

To those following along, I appreciate everyone taking a step back and letting me figure things out. I'll be making changes to Patreon throughout the week and I'll post an update when it's all done. Thank you.

YummyTiger Gaming

Yummy is trying to decide if he wants to put in the required amount of time to justify having a Patreon. As for game progress, who knows. I don't think Yummy himself knows -_-. I'm assuming he is also taking his usual break after missing a deadline.

Dumai12

So whats actually happening?

This

It’s strange because from your post you obviously know what your problem is, but you don’t seem to be convinced by what you know you should do. You have to reduce the scope of the game. I don’t know how much you can trim and how much you can salvage but right now you need to convince everyone (especially yourself) that you can finish the game, so don’t try to make it big enough to contain all your ideas but make it small enough so you can deliver. If after that you are still interested in making games you will be able to put in the next all the ideas you are reluctant to give up right now and you will implement them better thanks to the experience. You should scrap the battle system you regularly say you have problems with, nobody likes battle systems anyway. If you really want enemy encounters with potential H-scenes you could use regular scripts: write battles as small scenes where Aylia always wins unless the player does something to trigger the H-scenes. For instance, if she drank alcohol just before the quest she will be too drunk to dodge the attack. You can easily expend the system, for instance Aylia may refuse to drink alcohol because she only drinks strawberry juice so Bogwort has to steal a bottle of alcohol, empty Aylia’s glass in a flower pot and pour in some alcohol after having distracted her and voilà, a nice little puzzle easy to make and much more interesting than any battle. Without a battle system obviously you don’t have to balance it which is probably a nightmare and since Aylia won’t really fight you can remove all the things only useful in battles (experience, equipment, characteristics like HP or strength, loots, merchants to sell loots and buy potions, etc) which also need to be balanced. You can write each encounter exactly the way you want without having to fit it in a battle canvas and it’s more interesting for the player because he would have to search for clues about how to trigger the event rather than just loosing to get the H-scene. Maybe focus on only one rival. I would say Triste because she’s the mirror of Aylia (strong and proud woman with little to no sexual experience). Sure there would be less variety but you can compensate by creating a special relationship between the two; one competing against the other but sharing similar experiences and growing at the same pace. You replace the quantity of rivals by the quality of the rivalry. Or remove the complexity of the rivalry altogether, just have the rivals as recurring characters that evolve with Aylia and are dragged down with her into troubles. Make a linear story. To give players meaningful choices throughout a whole game is extremely hard, Bioware barely made it with the mass effect series and they are professionals with a huge budget. Keeping track of all the possibilities and having the characters to behave accordingly becomes quickly impossible. Just focus on the path you prefer for Aylia and do it right. It will be a lot easier, will require less work, less headaches, since it’s your favorite path it will be more enjoyable for you to work on and I’m convinced that players will prefer a good gradual corruption story over multiple choices poorly done. Just make a nice little story and remove all the rest. It’s the rest that is time consuming without bringing much. That’s why you could manage to release a good little introduction 3 years ago without too much work, you didn’t put the small things in. Remove all those little ideas and focus on the story/artworks. With Bogwort, his comic relief and a well written slow corruption you have enough originality for one game, especially the first. Plus, it will be easier for you to get motivated since you will see yourself making real progress.

Darian

I vote you go radio silent and work on it (or not work on it) without reporting the minutia to we the peanut gallery. Perhaps removing the pressure of scrutiny will help the process be fun for you again. Surprise everyone with a fully released chapter 1 in 6 months or 6 years. It costs me nothing to keep support registered. I'm staying.

Thank you. I truly hope I can prove worthy of it.

YummyTiger Gaming

You still have my support.

Syr

I agree. Hence the post.

YummyTiger Gaming

you've lost my support this is ridiculous

I will definitely be patient. I also would like to suggest that you do what makes you happy, because positive motivation is necessary to achieve independent goals when there isn't an ax hanging over your head. Also, when you say that one should make smaller goals and work up from there, it reminds to me that other H-game developers approach their games similarly. For example, Sourjelly, the creator of Anthophobia, likes to set a little drawing board and separate out each task before completing them individually. Each component of the game is built like a module and then combined into the whole, allowing the developer pick up a piece and tinker with it without worrying about the rest of the game. I suggest that rather than clunking together everything together to act as a complete game from the get go, you may wish to set things in modules so you can focus on whatever makes you most eager at a given time, and then put it down later when necessary. For example, you could have a section of code for combat that has simple inputs and outputs so it's easier to insert into a game while the complexity is handled in the middle. The dialogue tree could be made separately to make it easy visualize without nick-picking over the details when thinking about character personalities. Of course, you might already be doing that already, or maybe RPG maker doesn't allow for it, but it's just a thought.

David GB

Well, they have been one of the few reasons I've busted my ass over the years. A deadline would approach and suddenly a fire would light and I'd work like a fiend. Unfortunately, I'd always wait too long before that fire lit and I'd miss the deadline. Then, the new deadline would be a month or two off, so I'd ease up (especially since I'd just worked like a fiend prior). Ultimately, when I'd pick it back up hardcore before the next deadline, I'd end up redoing shit I didn't like. So, the deadlines moved things forward, but the mentality was fundamentally flawed.

YummyTiger Gaming

Thank you.

YummyTiger Gaming

Thanks. It's humbling to have your support despite it all. It's also why I only want to collect money when I've earned it, and do right by all of you.

YummyTiger Gaming

Yummy I still want to see this game become a thing. I hope you learn from these mistakes. I'll stay until I hear you say the project is done. One way or the other.

Nine Horse Hitch

Still supporting you here Yummy-Tiger. Ever since I played the demo, I knew you had something special. It will happen, but you need to accept that, while we all appreciate your drive for perfection Yummy-Tiger, you don't need to go as far as Michelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel.) Progress forward toward your goal of completing the game, but don't stress yourself out about all the bugs. You have a community of fans here, who all want to see this game happen and are will to help you make it happen. The only thing you need to really be concerned about is your art work and we know how well you can draw Yummy-Tiger. Oh, and please stop announcing possible release dates. Remember even Michelangelo was smart enough to say "When it is finished," rather then quote a time frame.

xellos49698

Adult man have adult life. Not a problem at all. Just ping if something playable come out.

Nexano Gray

I've never had expectations of you or this game YT, you just keep doing what you gotta do and I'll sit here patiently, checking Patreon every so often to see if you're still around. Glad to hear from you though! :D

Renmaru

I have been watching you improve your art work for the last 3 years and it is amazing progress from where you began. the lore of the game seems to be solidly in place for the most part to me. Now all that needs doing is getting the game out of the door if you have a build that doesn't feel right but you are even 50% happy with and are reluctant to do a pledged release give it to the alpha build tiers for review and work from there. you can do it yummy you can do it sincerely a long time LOK lurker

You can do it, tiger!

Markus S.

Don't worry. I'm not hyped or having alot of expectations. I've been watching u for last 3 years. :p Sometimes I forget about you and then remember you again. There's always those salty people though.

Ericridge

Yeah I think Yummy is mistaken about people over-hyping his game. Maybe it was that way at some point a year or so ago, but I think most of us just want to see proof of progress.

Dumai12

Honestly the only thing I expect from patreon h-games are nicely drawn characters, and I hope for witty dialogue, and decent enjoyable game play I don't tend to hype up anything, even non patreon games I don't get hyped over I've been burned too many times to count so I don't waste my time wanting what I don't have.

epoxymoron

He is not burning himself out lol. The issue as stated in the OP is not working enough. These posts do not help, and reinforce more of the same. Do you want the project to become vaporware or something? No offense, but it's supporters like you that assist the monthly patreons who are essentially stealing from their customers in continuing.

Dumai12

I mostly agree with the general notion, just one thing to add: Complexity does not equal quality, I'd even go as far as to say the opposite it usually true. The games I can follow organically are ways better than those that need pages of machine translated walkthrough. A linear but well written story with good art (yours certainly qualify) would be well worth playing.

yelop

Well stated, and I'd say that you're not negative. I'm one of those that fall in the negative category (though I try to keep it under control). "The don't make deadlines people" are a serious part of the problem imo, and they fall under point 8 in Yummy's post. I've been saying he needs to release something, anything, substantial for a while now. Here is the problem, a few months (year?) back all he had was the prologue and a bunch of stuff in word files. So while we say "Show us your progress!" that may not be even possible.

Dumai12

I thought your plan was to release an alpha at least, so why not release the alpha? Alphas aren't expected to be perfect, so I don't see a problem unless it's completely unplayable. Just release something that's more than the revamped prologue and a couple extra scenes dude. In your last paragraph you say, "Too often, I don't release something because I'm ashamed that it's all I have to show for 3 years of work." You do realize this is EXACTLY what you're doing right this very moment yes? I hope you aren't in the process of "scrapping" your project again. In any case, where are you on the project? This is the glaring thing missing from your post. We have no Fing clue what the status is on Aylia's Story. And that worries me, because I see the only reason to omit your current progress is that there is almost no progress. Please, if Aylia's Story is still just a prologue just tell us. As a last note please don't now give yourself the entire month of April to get a release out the door. Try to release it tomorrow, in the next hour, in the next minute, in the next second. Otherwise we're going to hear the same old song until you shut the patreon down.

Dumai12

I don't think that's the case Hitmann, he pretty much said on Discord that he didn't want to do that, even though I thought it would be hilarious. (Yes, I'm weird). But I'm also glad he's not shutting down, I'll keep moving forward, and hopefully so will YT, and when it come out I will rejoice. Until then, I won't worry about it too much. Unless he of course waits until after I pass before he releases it. In that case I'll haunt you Yummy.... :D

Darthjake

April fool, tomorrow u will get a update. (hope so)

HiTmANN

Pretty disappointed, especially after your posts on f95 figured this would be the turning point where everything started coming together. Maybe it'd be best if you just dumped everything then people could give you actual advice about how you're going and whether it's time to move on from Patreon or try one last push. Because if you can show people you're on the cusp of something great then I guess people can summon up some more patience. Or maybe this whole project is just the worlds greatest April fools prank.

I'm not going anywhere but I have a few suggestions and some advice that might go a long way to helping you. Most of this I'm sure has been said by others before but if not give it some thought. 1. Get out of your own way. This comes across as the biggest issue to the game. You're trying to create the prefect game and that just isn't going to happen. Let me ask you some honest questions How many times have you rewritten chp 1? How many times have you re tweaked art work? Rewritten dialogue? Is there honestly a point were you can see it being "good" enough? Get a story which you are mostly satisfied with and get it out you can always come back and work on it more in later dates. Don't be afraid of failure. 2. Get some feed back form the community or people you trust. You have tiers for alpha and beta releases, make use of them. The positive feedback can help you spot things that you missed. 3. Someone mentioned this above if life is too much and you still want to make the game think about getting a team. This might require a reworking of the patreon but I think most of us will be fine with that if it moves everything forward. I like your work form what I have played, and would love to see you continue.

Tokk

"Plus, it's damn hard to be creative when you're exhausted." So but soooooo much this -_-

Heaven Studios

Well this is currently in the same boat of expectations as Half Life 3 for me, so you're still technically ahead :D

Dasher

Nonono, he needs to be drawing because his art is quite good, and writing too. If he should outsource something it should be the coding and music. Otherwise he should play undertale (again perhaps) and find out what fills him with determination!!

waffel

I hope you're not killing yourself over this, dude. I read that "line in the sand" and honestly it didn't raise expectations of a release or potential death of the patreon. Maybe that sounds passive-aggressive, but my reaction to the comment you made and this post itself is amused at worst. I actually have a positive opinion of you as a developer (there's some pretty shady ones here on patreon). Good luck with development and don't get yourself worked up when things don't work out as you planned.

Jhunt

I am one of the more negative people, though not aggressively. I don't think people just saying "dont make deadlines" are useful to you, because they don't really add anything. Constructive criticism is where its at. I was one of the early group to pledge after playing the demo. About 3 years ago, probably getting nearish to four. I played the demo, loved what was there, just wanted something a bit longer, a bit lewder, etc. What worries me to some extent, is that your "developer tutorial" is what people like me have been saying for years - and I mean literally years. People loved what your demo had. That's why they pledged. Setbacks are bound to happen, and so are missed deadlines. People aren't disappointed because you're missing deadlines (well, not entirely on its own anyway). People are disappointed because what they wanted just isn't what you're delivering. The initial art was great. And I mean great, some of the best in the market. Yet one of the first major delays was a complete art rework (unless I'm wrong). I kinda stopped paying too much attention for a year, but I don't believe there were people screaming and begging for you to change all the art, but you did. People enjoyed the demo. You spoke about a few concepts that were interesting (such as not having to lose for porn, but having rivals that could be shown instead -- I would even say that the world changing depending on your choices/purity was a bit too ambitious). We haven't seen anything that leads us to believe anything like these things are happening. People loved the demo. it was what? half an hour, maybe an hour long? the first chapter could have been (and should be imho) 2-3 hours long. That's enough time to progress the plot and introduce a few new characters, as well as have some porn and choices that are satisfying. Instead, you keep making the first chapter bigger and bigger (you keep saying that the first chapter is now x amount bigger than what you planned), People loved the demo. It was simple, but it was fun. Instead of releasing something that maybe wasn't perfect (these are patrons who are giving you money to have stuff early i might add) you want it to be perfect, and would rather give us nothing. What you have is probably very fun. It's probably incredible, but because its not finished or perfect, you give us nothing and just let us complain. I would suggest that even if you have to cut it off early and a little unfinished, you should make a working game with what you have now, and just release it to patrons. You're talented, but you need to let us see that. People loved the demo. i keep saying it because its true. I think you've forgotten that.

There's no "nice" way to say this, so I just will. I haven't had much expectations for a long while. Sure it would be nice if the game got released and was fantastic as all get out, but not charging monthly (and the long periods of seeming inactivity) told me to hold my expectations back. I think not needing the money may be part of the problem here in a way. Someone like Sierra Lee has the passion and drive to make her games and because she needs them to be successful in order to make a living she also does everything possible to make them great and feels awful when they're not. That isn't to say you don't want to do the same, but not needing to has made you lose sight I think. (Also you guys have different strengths too, she is mainly a writer with some code experience picked up on the way, you are mainly an artist it seems with a strong story idea that you seem to lack confidence writing for some reason.) That said, I will still support you. I do believe that you want Aylia's Story to see the light of day in some completed form and as long as you aren't charging me for vaporware I want to be there when you finally get that motivation. I imagine that sentiment will be shared by a lot of us.

Troqu

Thanks for sharing your personal experiences, and grats on your successful investment in cryptos. I don't know what progress to expect from now on but it's fine as long as you quit making those false promises (seriously, these are the worst), while keeping your patrons interested. Good luck regardless!

Dehkia

Uh... just stop drawing those deadlines, they don't work. We'll wait as long as needed, posting an update post once or twice per month is enough.

SpFinX

Ok. Take the time you need. <a href="https://derpicdn.net/avatars/2016/9/25/177257fd1ac7d23f41bbf20.jpg" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://derpicdn.net/avatars/2016/9/25/177257fd1ac7d23f41bbf20.jpg</a>

PaddyOFurniture

I send you a message on discord... If you are not interested it's alright, really. As for the matter of hand: You need a team. You need to be only involved in ONE of the creation process, stop drawing and stop programming, focus only on the whritting and let other people do the rest. You WILL NOT be able to finish the game otherwise, THAT's IT. And worse, you are losing time that you could be spending with your family! Get a team, work less.

StalkerRoguen

I'll keep mine short. If you need time, take it. It's not like your charging me monthly for this. I chose to support you because I like your game and the idea behind it. If it means it'll take time between releases to get it right then so be it. I can't wait to see how this project turns out is what am trying to say 😁

ThatPatronDude